Senior Social Worker-Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP)

Veterans Health Administration • White City, OR

6h • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker works in the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Clinic, providing outpatient psychotherapy services to Veterans. Services include individual and group psychotherapy using evidence-based practices, diagnostic and evaluation services, psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems, and suicide assessment. The role develops, implements, and documents treatment plans for an assigned caseload and measures treatment effectiveness and Veteran response using clinical judgment and standardized assessment instruments.

The position also includes administrative responsibilities, ongoing professional development, occasional clinical coverage for absent staff, and compliance with performance measures and electronic medical record procedures. The Senior Social Worker provides clinical supervision for unlicensed staff and/or students, may provide group supervision to trainees, and educates trainees, clinicians, and facility staff using empirically grounded, culturally informed, and ethical information. The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available.

Requirements

• Master's degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master's degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• State licensure or certification at the advanced practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless grandfathered under the applicable state provisions; California licensees must meet the stated California examination requirement.
• Ability to provide supervision for licensure.
• At least two years of experience after advanced practice clinical licensure, in a specialized area of social work practice; one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
• Demonstrated skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced psychosocial and/or case management.
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation into differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Knowledge of methods for measuring the effectiveness of social work practice and services, using outcome evaluations to improve treatment and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on psychosocial treatment and to model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge in social work and write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Meet applicable background/security investigation, onboarding, pre-employment physical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Complete application requirements in the announcement's Required Documents section.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the stated continuation certification.

Nice To Haves

• Certification or post-master's training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty.

Responsibilities

• Provide diagnostic and evaluation services, including evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems and suicide assessment.
• Provide individual and group psychotherapy using evidence-based practices and interventions within training and expertise.
• Document evidence-based treatment and measure its effectiveness and Veteran response using clinical judgment and standardized assessment instruments.
• Develop, implement, and document psychotherapeutic treatment plans for an assigned caseload, including prompt completion of clinical reminders.
• Schedule Veterans; respond to related scheduling issues; return calls and secure messages; write reports; and attend organizational meetings.
• Pursue ongoing professional training through workshops, intra-VA assignments, and distance learning.
• Provide clinical coverage for absent staff when deemed necessary by the supervisor.
• Comply with national and local performance measures, timely health care screenings, clinical reminder requirements, and electronic medical record documentation and patient checkout procedures.
• Attend and participate in administrative and informational meetings held by behavioral health service leadership and facility leadership.
• Perform other collateral duties as assigned.
• Provide primary clinical supervision for unlicensed staff and/or students, including backup supervision in other rotations as directed by the Training Director.
• Provide group supervision to an intern or trainee cohort when needed, as determined by the Training Director.
• Provide current education to trainees, clinicians, and facility staff, including in-service or grand-round presentations related to the Mental Health Service Line.
• Attend training-related meetings as directed by the Training Director, direct supervisor, Chief of Outpatient Behavioral Health, and/or BHSL ACOS.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval, with an award of up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Child care subsidy potentially available after 60 days for eligible full-time employees, subject to income and other eligibility criteria; subsidy may cover up to 25% of eligible costs, up to the stated monthly maximum.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior